Fumble-prone Bradshaw loses starting job to Jacobs
New York Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw fumbles the ball on a hit from Philadelphia Eagles safety Quintin Mikell during the first half. (Nov. 21, 2010) Credit: AP
Turns out Ahmad Bradshaw didn't have a "high and tight" grip on his starting job, either.
After losing five fumbles in the first 10 games, including a costly one against the Eagles on Sunday night, Bradshaw will be demoted to the team's second-string running back for Sunday's game against the Jaguars. Tom Coughlin said that Brandon Jacobs, who had been the starter in previous years but was relegated to backup this season, will start.
"The number one consideration is to try to stop beating ourselves,'' Coughlin said. "That's one area we should be able to improve. It's very frustrating not to improve in that area."
Coughlin hinted at a switch earlier in the week and after Sunday's loss in Philadelphia. He said he spoke to Bradshaw about the decision.
"He's not happy, but he's going to fight his way through it," Coughlin said. "Why it would be a total surprise to anybody is beyond me."
Bradshaw has run for 867 yards and five touchdowns on 185 carries this season, but in the last three games he's averaged just 3.11 yards per carry compared with the 5.3 he was at through the first seven games. Jacobs, meanwhile, has run for 387 yards and five touchdowns on 78 carries. He also has lost a fumble this season.
Jacobs insisted that the change is "temporary," and after having his starting job taken away during the summer without much warning or explanation he certainly understands that all NFL spots are. But he almost seemed to be questioning the move rather than being excited about his own opportunity.
"He's still going to be there," Jacobs said of his close friend Bradshaw. "He's still going to be a big part of us winning. If we want to win, we'll give him the ball. If we want to win, hand it to him and he's going to get it done."
Jacobs did acknowledge that the league-leading 30 turnovers by the Giants - the ultimate reason behind the switch - have to come to an end.
"Right now we just want to win and get all these mistakes that we're making straightened out and stop handing these games to these other teams because that's what's happening," Jacobs said. "The teams that beat us, I honestly don't think they really beat us if we don't give them the games . . . It's time to get this thing on the right track and get rolling towards the end of the season. It's getting cold, we still have a chance to punish some people, and that's what I want to do."
Bradshaw was understandably less fired up about the decision. "They said a change has been made, and I'm doing whatever is good for the team," he said. He did say that his fumbles mostly come as he fights for extra yardage. "All I can do is play my game," he said.
Now that game will be diminished. Coughlin also said he'd like to get D.J. Ware more offensive carries this week in a game in which the Giants are certainly expected to run the ball a lot. They are without their two top receivers and two of their remaining top three weren't even on the roster two weeks ago.
"We are trying to get our running game back to where we want it to be," Coughlin said. "We want more production in the run. That's just the way we do things here.
"As I said," Coughlin added later, "there are plenty of carries to go around."
Jacobs to replace fumble-prone Bradshaw as starter
